How to Keep Valuable Employees

Small businesses rely heavily on the dedication of their most valuable employees, which is why keeping hold of influential team members is essential for the success of the company.

No one person is greater than the team, that needs to be said from the off, however, it is important to reward valuable members of staff and let them know that their hard work is appreciated. In every successful team, there is at least one or two experienced hands guiding those more inexperienced in terms of the business.

These employees are leaders, regardless of their job title, and small businesses would notice their absence. So, how do you ensure that you keep such diamonds from straying away?

Responsibilities

If you have employees that you can see are leading the team from within, recognize this by giving them extra responsibility. Whether this is in the form of a promotion or placing them in charge of a project, this will show the trust that you have in them, which should have a positive effect.

Valuable members of staff will be keen to work their way up the career ladder and, if they feel as though the opportunity is not present where they currently are, they will seek those opportunities elsewhere.

Team Bonding

Great teams can be ruined by a negative atmosphere. No matter how good your business is, or how good you think it is, poor morale is an issue that all owners will be faced with. If your team is suffering from a lack of motivation, make it your business to find out why?

If the same issue is present in multiple issues, it is clear that there is a problem in the business that is stopping the machine from functioning smoothly. As the leader of the team, it is up to you to be seen to address the issue, otherwise, you risk losing your employees.

It is at this point that you should remember that colleagues should be treated like a family; after all, they probably spend more time with one and other as they do their actual families. Instill a sense of fun into the workplace with activities that help with team bonding, which will help in the long run for the business.

Delegation

Delegation can fall under the realm of responsibilities, but what we mean by this is more specifically delegating your own responsibilities. Far too many business owners are afraid to let go because it is their life’s work. It is perfectly understandable, but growing will not happen unless you allow others to chip in with their own ideas and methods.

By trusting your team leaders with responsibilities that you burden yourself with, you will be freeing up more of your time to assess the state of the business. This will help you to see something that you may have been missing beforehand. When delegating responsibilities, it is also vitally important not to be constantly watching over your employees’ shoulders as this will only create a sense of distrust.

Challenges

The number one cause of a lack of motivation is the lack of a challenge. If your employees no longer feel challenged in the workplace, you can guarantee that they will be seeking a fresh challenge before you know it.

Small businesses often reach a point where they begin to feel comfortable, almost as if they have hit a glass ceiling and are content with their position in the market. While this may be your sentiments, your employees, at least the valuable ones, will be hungry for more and, if this is something that you are willing to give, they will find somewhere that will.

Always strive to better yourself and the business. Although some goals may at first appear unattainable, nobody ever achieved something by not trying.

Nathan Goodman is a freelance fiction writer and the bestselling author of The Special Agent Jana Baker Spy-Thriller Series. "A terrorist on the loose, a country in panic, and time is running out..." For a free copy visit the author's website.